First Weeks and Months On average, most exclusively breastfed babies will feed about every 2 to 4 hours. Some babies may feed as often as every hour at times, often called cluster feeding. Or may have a longer sleep interval of 4 to 5 hours.
As a very rough guide, your baby should feed at least 8 to 12 times, or more, every 24 hours during the first few weeks. It's fine to feed your baby whenever they are hungry, when your breasts feel full or if you just want to have a cuddle. It's not possible to overfeed a breastfed baby.
Duration. During the newborn period, most breastfeeding sessions take 20 to 45 minutes. However, because newborn babies are often sleepy, this length of time may require patience and persistence. Feed on the first side until your baby stops suckling, hands are no longer fisted, and your baby appears sleepy and relaxed.
In their first week of life, newborns should eat roughly 1 to 2 ounces per feed, building up to 3 to 4 ounces per feed by the time they're one month old.
During the first week, most full-term babies take no more than 1 to 2 ounces (30 to 60ml) at feedings. This is because newborns' stomachs are so small. After 4 to 5 weeks, babies reach their peak feeding volume of about 3 to 4 ounces (90 to 120ml) and peak daily milk intake of about 30 ounces per day (900ml).
Your child may be full if he or she: Closes mouth. Turns head away from breast or bottle. Relaxes hands.
When your baby has finished the first breast, offer the second breast, to make sure he gets what he needs. Sometimes your baby will seem to be hungry all the time because he's having a growth spurt (that's when he's growing more quickly so he needs to feed more often).
It absolutely will not last forever. Usually, cluster feeding resolves within 2-3 days after starting. Also, a few helpful things to remember when cluster feeding is feeling endless: Cluster feeding occurs around developmental milestones — your baby's body is doing important things!
Although overfeeding a baby is rare, it can happen. The most common cause of an overfed baby is a parent or caregiver misinterpreting a baby's hunger and fullness cues. When a baby has enough to eat, they turn away from the breast or bottle and do not want to suck.
Newborns need to eat often. In your first few weeks, you will probably breastfeed your baby 8-12 times every 24 hours. Sometimes your baby may want to nurse more often. When feedings are bunched together, especially in the evening, it's called cluster feeding.
Newborns who sleep for longer stretches should be awakened to feed. Wake your baby every 3–4 hours to eat until he or she shows good weight gain, which usually happens within the first couple of weeks. After that, it's OK to let your baby sleep for longer periods of time at night.
First Weeks and Months
On average, most exclusively breastfed babies will feed about every 2 to 4 hours. Some babies may feed as often as every hour at times, often called cluster feeding. Or may have a longer sleep interval of 4 to 5 hours. How often your baby feeds might change depending on the time of day.
Most newborns spend most of their time asleep – they sleep 14-17 hours in every 24 hours. It's common for newborns to sleep in short bursts of 2-3 hours between feeds, both night and day. Also, newborns need to feed every 2-4 hours.
Newborns may nurse for up to 20 minutes or longer on one or both breasts. As babies get older and more skilled at breastfeeding, they may take about 5–10 minutes on each side.
While waking up a sleeping baby might seem like a bad idea, frequent feedings early on are important for a couple of reasons: Crying is a late sign of hunger. The sooner you begin each feeding, the less likely you'll need to soothe a frantic baby.
Hiccups are normal and usually don't hurt your baby. In younger babies, hiccups are usually a sign that they need to be seated upright during or after feeding, that feeding needs to be slower for them, or that they need more time before or after feeding to relax.
Growth spurt
During a growth spurt, your baby may appear to be hungrier than usual. If breastfeeding, he may demand nursing more often. If bottle-feeding, he might drain the bottle and want a little more. On the flip side, during a growth plateau, your baby's appetite will reduce and his milk volumes decrease.
Second Night Syndrome
Generally occurs about 24 hours after birth for almost every baby. Your baby will want to be on the breast constantly but quickly fall asleep. If you put him down, he will probably wake up. If you put him back to breast, he will feed for a short time and fall asleep.
Can a pacifier help with cluster feeding? If you're already using a pacifier, you know how much of a saint these tiny devices can be. This is especially true during cluster-feeding periods. Not only can they help soothe a fussy baby, but it can help parents distinguish between cluster feeding and comfort.
Cluster feeding doesn't mean you don't have enough milk. However, some parents are concerned that they may not be producing enough milk for their baby during cluster feeding episodes. If you are in such a situation, be sure to: Stay hydrated.
Many moms get the most milk first thing in the morning. Pump between breastfeeding, either 30-60 minutes after nursing or at least one hour before breastfeeding. This should leave plenty of milk for your baby at your next feeding. If your baby wants to breastfeed right after breast pumping, let them!
Some reasons why your fed baby cries after feeding can include acid reflux, food sensitivity/allergy, gas, formula, or colic. You should not breastfeed every time your baby cries. Instead, it's best to let the baby tell you when it's had enough flow of milk.